Bates Wells

Charity and social enterprise; social finance; impact economy.

Partner. Luke specialises in charity law and social enterprise. As well as advising on the full range of activities carried out by charities and social enterprises, Luke co-leads the firm’s work on social finance and in the wider ‘impact economy’. Recent work includes advising a leading think tank in relation to a high-profile regulatory review by the Charity Commission, advising a leading independent school in relation to a complex statutory inquiry and advising a household name multinational firm on its adoption of a new purpose to benefit society as well as its shareholders.

Trained White & Case; qualified 2007; solicitor BWB 2007; secondments to Social Investment Team, Cabinet Office 2011-13; partner BWB 2013. Current directorships: Chair of the European Social Enterprise Law Association and a board director of B Lab UK. Publications of note: ‘Investing in Civil Society’, ‘Ten Reforms to Grow the Social Investment Market’, ‘Marketing Social Investments’, ‘Governance for Community Interest Companies’, ‘Social Enterprise in Europe: Supporting Social Enterprise Growth’.

Charity Law Association and European Social Enterprise Law Association.

University of Nottingham and University of Texas, Austin (2003 LLB with American Law).

Enjoys tennis, running, time with family – and reading!